The 58th annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is rapidly approaching, and this year will see a big change: the elimination of buttons or wristbands previously needed for many performances.

Live performances have been a staple for Arts Fests over the years, and this summer they’ll all be outdoors and free to attend, according to a Friday press release from Arts Fest Executive Director Pam Etters.

In the past, the buttons — which transitioned to wristbands in 2022 — were available for purchase around town and required for select live performances.

Dozens of performers will take the stage from July 11-14 at venues including the Festival Shell on the Old Main lawn, the Allen Street Stage and Sidney Friedman Park.

“This summer, we’ll again be offering a mix of old favorites and new performers on our outdoor stages,” Etters wrote in the release.

Some indoor venues in downtown State College will be ticketed by their host organizations, including Happy Valley Improv, The State Theatre and Tempest Productions.

Free live performances aren’t the only new feature at this year’s Arts Fest. Here’s a look at others:

Arts Fest Passports

This year Arts Fest will introduce a new, culturally-themed way to navigate the festival — passports.

These passports, available for pickup at the festival’s “passport stop,” will help guide festivalgoers through five passport stations in downtown State College. The locations will share information about their culture, and visitors will earn a sticker at each stop.

If you collect all five stickers from each station, you can return the passport to Stuckey Mitsubishi for a chance to win a DelGrosso’s Amusement Park prize pack, according to the press release.

Courtesy Tent

Arts Fest has partnered this year with the Centre Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association to provide a courtesy tent on the State College Municipal Plaza. At the tent, fairgoers looking to continue shopping around Arts Fest without having to carry around already-purchased goods can check them and pick them up later.

In addition to safely storing purchases, the courtesy tent also provides pickups at the municipal building’s rear parking lot for those who have difficulty carrying their goods to their car.

Additional bike parking

This year the Arts Fest has partnered with Freeze Thaw Cycles and the State College Borough to provide additional parking for those who travel to the festival via bike.

“While riding your bike through the Festival is strictly prohibited, we recognize that biking to the Festival could alleviate a lot of parking stress,” the release states.

This additional parking will be located at the Beaver Avenue parking garage, and will offer expanded and covered bike parking.

Sensory oasis spaces

Schlow Centre Region Library, located at 211 S Allen St., will host sensory oasis spaces at this year’s festival.

The new sensory oasis spaces will be located on the second floor of the library for those festivalgoers who need a sensory break from all the hustle and bustle of downtown.

There are three spaces for those in need of a break to choose from:

• The Quiet Area, for those in need of a non-private space to relax and breathe, found in the nook overlooking the intersection of Allen Street and Beaver Avenue.

• The Teen Space, for those seeking low-stimulation or stress-reducing moderate activity, overlooking the library’s parking lot.

• Joyce’s Sun Room, for those seeking a controlled environment where music and games can be played.

The library will also house a nursing and lactation station for mothers, sponsored by Mount Nittany Health.

For more information about this year’s Arts Fest and a full schedule of events, visit arts-festival.com.